Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance by C.J. Redwine
Pages: 416
Expected publication: August 28, 2012 (Balzer + Bray)
Source: ARC from the publisher
Rating: Swoon-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Connect with the author: Blog | Twitter 

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Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

My Review

From the opening lines of Defiance, I fell headfirst and heart-second into the world of Baalboden, a walled city where Rachel Adams is devastated when her father, who has not returned from his last courier mission, is deemed deceased.  Strong, willful Rachel is incensed, and her brightly burning inner fire shows for the first time, but not for the last, when she is assigned a new Protector in place of her father - a male to watch over her and guard her - and that Protector turns out to be her father's apprentice, whom she shares a tormented history with.  Between her grief for her father and her unquenchable desire to prove he is alive, and her stubbornness to accept Logan McEntire as her Protector due to her pride, I loved Rachel immediately.  

Throughout Defiance, I fell harder and harder for the main characters, both Rachel and also Logan.  Defiance is told through dual narrative, and while at times that plot device doesn't work for me, in this case, it really did.  It served to give us a glimpse into BOTH character's thinking, actions, and motivations.  Rachel has a huge heart and cares deeply for her loved ones, but that same heart also leads her to make mistakes just as often as it leads her in the right direction.  And Logan....oh Logan.  How many times did I swoon over him?  Logan's motives are so pure, and it's immediately clear that he cares so much for Rachel, yet is torn between a sense of duty and what his heart REALLY wants.   C.J. Redwine has created fantastic, identifiable characters in Rachel and Logan, amazing leads to carry Defiance! I adored watching them interact, seeing the feelings and fire simmering between them, and mostly, watching their relationship GROW over the course of Defiance.  

C.J. Redwine weaves various fantasy elements into her debut novel, but adds her own splashes of originality.  Baalboden is ruled by the Commander, who rose to fame and the leadership position after defeating the beast that stalks the Wastelands beyond the wall.  Commander Chase is a remarkably cruel character, who I immediately hated - and I applaud C.J. for creating such strong emotions in me for both the heroes AND the villains!  Both Rachel and Logan have their own reasons to escape the Commander and Baalboden, and I loved that there was an astounding mythos underlying in Defiance that complimented the characters.  I thought the male-driven society was VERY fascinating, and I admired Rachel's fire in standing up for herself, and, despite the danger, in daring to be DIFFERENT.  

From the tender and sweet budding romance between Rachel and Logan, to the sense of malice and danger threaded through Defiance, there was nothing I didn't love.  Redwine takes us on a wild ride, from the walled city to the Wastelands and beyond, as Rachel risks everything to track her father.  Along the way, she is tested in so many ways, ways that would break a normal person, but Rachel ENDURED and grew stronger and more determined, as did Logan.  I admired how they eventually became so in sync with one another's feelings and needs, and how devoted they were to one another and to their goals.  Watching them overcome their past and come together was just TOO sweet, and brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.  

I can't recommend Defiance highly enough.  It earned a "swoon-worthy" rating from me because by the end, I felt like I'd gone through the emotional ringer with both Rachel and Logan.  I laughed, swooned, and I wept.  I felt as cold as stone when Rachel did, and hopeful and excited when she did.  There was never a time reading when I was bored or irritated; instead, I was captivated from the beginning to the end, which despite the book's length, came too soon for me.  I cannot wait for the sequel, and I encourage everyone to experience this novel!  It's an amazing addition to the YA fantasy genre, with elements of steampunk and historical romance, as well!  I know Defiance hasn't left my mind or heart since I finished it, and I think you'll feel the same way!

Book Trailer

You're sure to fall for:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Character/Author Interview + Giveaway: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Please welcome debut author C.J. Redwine to the blog today.  C.J. is the VERY talented author of Defiance (August, Harper Teen), the first novel in a new YA fantasy trilogy.  I recently had the chance to read an ARC of Defiance, and I loved every page of it.  It's fast-paced with a fascinating society, believable characters that WILL tug at your heart-strings, and a beautiful romance that I just wanted to sink into.

I'm so excited for y'all to read this book, so today I have a short character interview with Rachel and Logan, C.J's main characters, and a short author interview with this amazingly talented lady.  Then there's a giveaway of my ARC, plus the chance to win some awesome signed Defiance bookmarks! Please check out both interviews, and make sure to add Defiance to your TBR if you haven't already.  I laughed, cried, swooned, raged, despaired, swooned again...and fell IN LOVE with this YA fantasy.  I AM BEREFT that I am finished with it.  Plus, C.J. is so friendly to talk to, and funny, and I will definitely be buying a finished copy of Defiance. 

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city's brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father's apprentice, Logan--the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same one who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but a fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city's top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor's impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

C.J. Redwine loves stilettos, lemon bars, and any movie starring Johnny Depp. She lives in Nashville with her husband, four kids, two cats, and one long-suffering dog. To learn more about C.J., visit her website at http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/

Connect with C.J. online:  Website | Twitter | Facebook

 Character Interview

{ 1 } What is the best advice you were ever given?

Rachel: My best advice always came from Oliver (my surrogate grandfather) and my dad. Oliver once told me that hope is precious, and I should hang on to it. Sometimes life rips hope away from us, and it's hard to follow his advice, but I know he's right. My dad always told me to keep a loose grip on my weapon and aim for the arteries. I've used his advice even more often than I've used Oliver's.

Logan: Oliver always gave me the best advice, too. When I was young, he told me that to earn the respect of others, I first had to earn respect from myself. That helped drive the choices I made as I grew up. But lately, the piece of advice that I wish I'd heeded was the time he told me never to underestimate Rachel. And never to let her out of my sight. And never to spar with her unless ... well, never to  spar with her. Period.

Rachel: *sounding smug* He didn't want your ego to suffer at the hands of a girl.

Logan: Or he loves you too much to want to see me teach you a thing or two.

Rachel: Bring it, tech head.

Logan: *grins* As soon as this interview is over, you're mine.


{ 2 } If you had to leave home with only three possessions, what would they be, and why?
Rachel: My bow and arrows so I can hunt for food, my Switch so I can defend myself against enemies, and my cloak so I'm protected from the elements.

Logan: I'd bring my sword for protection and hunting, a bag of tech supplies so I can invent anything I need, and my mother's necklace because it's all I have left of her.

{ 3 } What is the one dream or wish you've never told anyone?

Rachel: When I was little, I once wished that my dad and I could leave Baalboden and start our own city-state somewhere else. I also dreamed of never having to wear a dress again.

Logan: That would be a shame.

Rachel: Are you serious? Do you have any idea how hard it would be to defend yourself in battle when you have all that shiny, useles fabric tripping your legs while the stays in the back are laced so tight you can barely breathe without worrying you're going to pop right out of the thing? It's a ridiculously impractical garment.

Logan: I can think of several interesting uses for one.

Rachel: *laughs* Yes, if you put me in a dress, maybe you have a chance of beating me in sparring practice.

Logan: We can test that theory when we're done here.

Rachel: Oh, please. One wrong move and that dress would be history.

Logan: Really? *smiles*

Rachel: *blushes and looks at the floor* Aren't you supposed to share a wish you haven't told anyone?

Logan: I think I'll keep my current wishes to myself.

{ 4 } What is your favorite, and least favorite thing about each other?

Rachel: My favorite thing about Logan is his determination. Once he's decided to do something, nothing stands in his way. If something does try to get in his way, he's prepared for it because he's spent forever thinking through every possible scenario and has a back-up plan or twelve.

Logan: So you love my determination but don't like the way I go after my goals?

Rachel: I don't think you're supposed to critique my answer.

Logan: I don't think you answered my question.

Rachel: *glares and says nothing*

Logan: My favorite thing about Rachel is her courage. And her loyalty to those she loves. And her red hair.

Rachel: You're only supposed to pick one thing! Plus you didn't say your least favorite thing about me.

Logan: And since you're currently carrying a weapon, that's another thought I'll be keeping to myself.

Author Interview

{ 1 } What is your favorite part of the writing process?

Wow. No one's ever asked me that before, and I honestly don't know what to say. I love the first date butterflies when a promising new idea/character waltzs into my head. And of course, I love the honeymoon period after I finish the last sentence and before I reread it and realize how much I need to revise. :) I even love writing the middle and the end. But the beginnings? You can have the beginnings. Ugh.

{ 2 } Is there any one particular memory you associate with writing DEFIANCE?

Well, there was the time Beth Revis tried to kill me with Nutella while I was writing the end. You can find that story on my blog by searching Beth Revis. Or Death. Or any combination thereof. But an even stronger memory is how deep I had to dig emotionally for one of the pivotal scenes in the first third. It's a scene where Rachel breaks inside, and after I wrote it, I couldn't write another word for three days. I had to recover.

{ 3 } In DEFIANCE, there is a very male dominated society.  What made you structure your world that way?

Honestly, everything in the story is character-driven, including the world. The particular city-state that Rachel lives in is ruled by the Commander, and so it is a male dominated society because he is a misogynistic douche. (Can I say douche in an interview? Twice?) Other city-states have very different cultures because the culture is determined by the leadership. Once the Commander became a fully formed character in my mind, I understood what he would and would not tolerate from his citizens, and the rules and culture of Baalboden took shape.

{ 4 } DEFIANCE is told in dual narratives, between Rachel and Logan.  Do you have a preference of which one of them you like to write for?
 
Rachel is easier for me because I can identify with her faster than I can identify with Logan, but I love the way Logan's mind works (and the fact that he tries so hard to be honorable), so I guess I don't have a preference.

{ 5 } Knowing what you know now about the journey you went on while writing DEFIANCE, is there any one thing you would tell yourself upon starting the book, any one piece of advice you'd give?

Don't read emails from Beth Revis until you finish the book! Also, don't worry so much about the beginning. You're going to have to rewrite it five times no matter what. :)

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